Nearly 250 years ago, the bell that would become known as the Liberty Bell was hidden beneath the floorboards of Zion’s Reformed Church in what is now Downtown Allentown. It remained there for nearly nine months while British troops occupied Philadelphia.
On Saturday, September 19, 2026, Allentown will bring that history back into the streets with the inaugural Liberty Bell Festival.
CeaseFirePA Lehigh Valley Organizer Maggie Hartmann joins George Wacker to discuss gun violence prevention in Allentown and the work continuing after the July 16 Allentown Gun Violence Prevention Forum.
Maggie talks about bringing elected officials, community organizations, law enforcement and residents together, including young people in decisions that affect them, addressing gaps in after-school support and building trusted partnerships within Allentown neighborhoods.
The conversation also covers school safety, secure firearm storage, House Bill 2244 and practical ways Lehigh Valley residents can support CeaseFirePA’s work.
Parent and Caregiver School Safety Survey:
https://act.ceasefirepa.org/a/schoolsafetysurvey
Sign the Petition:
https://www.mobilize.us/ceasefirepa/event/996058/
Learn more about CeaseFirePA:
https://www.ceasefirepa.org/
Contact Maggie Hartmann:
maggie@ceasefirepa.org
This episode is brought to you by Wind Creek Event Center, Michael Bernadyn with RE/MAX Real Estate, WDIY 88.1 FM, Banko Beverage and QuoteAhead.com.
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